Now or Never
by ChildDevil04
Summary: Charlie and Hermione had been together, and they broke up. Will they get back together or does Ron get the girl? HGCW Oneshot


Disclaimer: I bet its obvious, but I don't own Harry Potter. If I did I'd be able to go to school where I wanted and wouldn't be dependent on what my parents are willing to pay for. So yeah, I don't own it. And I'm not sure I want to take responsibility for the plot either . . .

Charlie Weasley watched from the side in pain and jealousy as his youngest brother announced his engagement. It wasn't that he didn't love his brother. Because he did. Really. They were brothers after all. But he didn't think Ron deserved the brightest witch of the age, not to mention the prettiest. No offense to his little brother, but Ron wasn't the brightest firework or crayon or whatever that inane muggle saying was. He wasn't anywhere near approaching intellectual equality with Hermione.

Hermione was never without a book or six. She had a ton of knowledge running through that pretty head of hers and she could think her way out of a problem faster and better then most of the Aurors he knew. Ron, on the other hand, never read anything that wasn't Quidditch related. Except for PlayWizard. But everyone knows that regardless of what may be said to the contrary no one actually reads the articles in that. And as far as critical thinking skills went, well Ron wouldn't be able to think his way out of a paper bag.

As he watched Ron pull Hermione close for a long lingering kiss his gut roiled in jealousy. Waves of anger washed over him, hazing his vision to red. This wasn't what he had intended when he broke it off with her. He just wanted time to think, to decide what to do, decide how he felt. And she comes waltzing in, a bare five months later, engaged to his brother.

While Charlie stood leaning, silent and glowering, against the wall the rest of the Weasley family crowded around to offer their congratulations to the couple. No one noticed his reticence to join the rest of the family. He hadn't been himself for months, though no one but he and Hermione knew why. All the rest of them knew was that he had had a girlfriend and that they had broken up.

No one but Charlie noticed that Hermione was not as ecstatic about her engagement as one might expect her to be. Her gaze continually slipped to the brooding Weasley propped against the wall watching the gathering with an unreadable expression in his flint grey eyes. As Charlie watched the excitement in his family over Hermione's joining them at last as a true member of the family he remembered the last time he had seen his dark-haired love.

_Flashback_

_Charlie apparated into Hermione's flat and dropped onto the sofa with a long sigh. Hermione, who was moving around in the kitchen preparing dinner, heard him and came out._

_"Long day?" She asked sympathetically, leaning down to give him a welcoming kiss before taking a seat next to him._

_"Mum again. Ever since I told her I was dating she's been after me to bring my girlfriend over to the Burrow for dinner. I wish she would just leave me love life the hell alone the hell alone. It's not like I'm the only unmarried Weasley male, why can't she torture Ron or the twins about this for a change? Why is it always Charlie who needs to settle down and get himself hitched?"_

_"Why can't we just go to dinner Charlie? We've been dating for 6 months don't you think they should know? It's not like I'm gonna get scared off by your family. I love your family. And it'll get Molly off my back as well."_

_"Because it's to soon Hermione. I'm not ready to tell my family that we're dating. Can you imagine their reactions? Mom would go into hysterics because she wants you to marry Ron. Ron would flip because he wants to marry you and the rest of them would die of laughter."_

_"Why Charlie? Why would they die of laugher? And how do you know that's how they'll react? I think the smarter ones will at least see that we are a much better match then Ron and I. That would be a match made in hell."_

_Charlie jumped to his feet and glared at her. "Fine. I'm not sure how my family will react. But I do know that I'm not ready to find out. You know mum. Once she recovers from her shock she'll be pushing us to get married for gods sake!"_

_Hermione jumped to her feet as well. "Is that so bad Charlie? Is marriage to me such an awful thing to contemplate?"_

_Charlie tunneled his fingers through his dark red hair in frustration. "That's not what I said or meant Hermione. All I'm trying to say is I'm not ready for my family to meet you as my girlfriend yet."_

_"But why Charlie? All you've given me are excuses, no real reasons. Are you ashamed of me? Do you not want people to know you're dating Bookworm Granger? You never introduce me as your girlfriend." She laughed bitterly at the look on his face. "Did you think I hadn't noticed that Charlie? I'm a girl we notice stuff like that. Of course, there aren't that many people you could introduce me to as your girlfriend. We never go out, or hardly ever. And its always either somewhere muggle or somewhere that is really empty. So, I ask you again Charlie Michael Weasley, are you ashamed of me?" Tears glistened in her eyes that went unheeded by both of them._

_Charlie could only stare at her, surprised by the hurt and anger in her voice._

_"It's a simple yes or no question that apparently you can't even answer Charlie. I suggest you leave until you can."_

_"Are you kicking me out?" Charlie asked, stunned._

_"Yes. Until you can answer my question, until you are ready to introduce me as your girlfriend, then I don't want to see you."_

_"So you're assuming the answer will be no, that I'm not ashamed of you?"_

_"If you want this relationship to continue then it will have to be. I'm not going to sneak around forever Charlie. I'm not willing to sneak around much longer either. I'm tired of lying to everyone I know. So, yes if you want this relationship to continue then you're going to have to be willing to come clean and tell everyone that we're dating."_

_"And if I'm not willing to tell?"_

_"Then we're over."_

_"Fine, then we're over. I'm not willing to share yet. So I guess now I have nothing to share." With a last long look Charlie apparated to out of the flat, leaving Hermione staring at the place where he had been standing before sinking to the floor and bursting into tears. She had gambled and lost. She had called his bluff and gotten burned._

_Charlie appeared in his own flat with a curse on his lips. With a snarl he proceeded to do a great deal of damage to his apartment. When he had vented his anger he sank to his knees in grief. 'Why 'Mione?' He wailed in his mind. 'Why did you push? Why couldn't you accept that I'm not ready for that step?'_

_End Flashback _

Charlie came back to himself with a start. He glared at Ron, something like hatred in his stony gaze, anger in his gut. No one noticed, and Hermione was the only one to see him leave the room. He stalked though the kitchen and let himself out into the garden. Moving down a path his feet knew well his mind flew. As he reached the top of the rise that overlooked the whole property of the Burrow his mind came to the conclusion that he wasn't ready to give up. If he had moved a bit faster Ron and Hermione might not now be engaged, but that was no matter. Now that he had decided he would shout it from the rooftops if she would have him he wasn't ready to give up. He had to try. His life without Hermione was hell and no matter the reaction from his family or from the rest of the Wizarding World he had to have her. He needed her. He loved her.

Looking back at the Burrow he glimpsed movement in the kitchen window. Moving deeper into the shadows of the oak tree beside him he watched as a small figure left the house and, looking around carefully, started in his direction. As the person got closer he was both surprised and elated to see it was Hermione. He hadn't expected it to be this easy to get a chance to talk to her without Ron around, but he wasn't going to argue with his good fortune. He watched as she climbed the hill, desire pooling in his gut at the breathtaking sight she presented in the moonlight. As she started to walk past him, not seeing him in his shelter beneath the oak tree he spoke.

"Where's lover boy?" He asked bitterly, the jealousy he couldn't contain making his voice darker then he had intended. Hermione spun, shock on her face, and a bit of something he hoped like hell was a mix of desire and guilt. "I forget was it a match made in heaven or a match made in hell that you said would describe a relationship between you and Ron?"

"That was then," Hermione said. "I've changed my mind. He's a good man."

"Yeah, in the way a dog is good." He took a step closer and inwardly rejoiced as her eyes widened and the pupils dilated in deeply rooted feminine recognition and longing. "Tell me Hermione, why are you engaged to my baby brother?"

"Because he asked me to marry him. That's generally why one gets engaged. Ron and I can be content together," she added defensively.

"You don't deserve to be content 'Mione." He saw the hurt gathering in those lovely eyes and hastened to dispel it. "You deserve to be gloriously happy. And you aren't going to have that with my baby brother."

"Well, it's not my fault the one person I thought I could be happy with decided his hang-ups were more important then his girlfriend. That he apparently didn't even trust me enough to actually talk about it. I've tried going for gloriously happy Charlie and I got seriously burned. This time I'll just settle with contentment. I've learned my lesson."

Charlie groaned quietly. "'Mione, my darling 'Mione, what have I done to you?"

"Excuse me?" Hermione wasn't quite sure what it was she was hearing.

Charlie took another two steps and wrapped his arms around her. "'Mione, I'm so sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, and you're right, I should have trusted you. But I was scared. I'd never felt this way before, what I feel for you. I was scared, confused and not thinking straight. I'm so bloody sorry I hurt you. And then, just when I decide that my hang-ups are stupid, just when I was going to talk to you, you show up engaged to my baby brother."

"You were coming back?"

"Yes. Hermione, I've learned something very important in the last five months. I love you, more then anything and I can't bear to live without you."

"I'm engaged to your brother Charlie. You had your shot. I'm sorry." She looked at him, tears shining in her velvety brown eyes. "I can't hurt him like that. He's been nothing but good and kind to me since you broke up with me. I can't pay him back by breaking his heart."

"But you can break mine?"

"You broke mine Charlie. Paybacks a bitch." She laughed sadly. "If I'd known you actually still cared about me I would have waited, or said no. But I said yes and I can't do it. Not knowing how much it hurts to get your heart broken. I can't put Ron through that, he's an innocent victim in this."

"'Mione . . ." Charlie groaned in frustration. "You have way to much Gryffindor nobility in you. You're willing to sacrifice your future happiness so that you don't break my baby brother's heart?"

"Yes. But Charlie, if you really love me then that's part of what you love about me. If I did it, if I broke up with him because of this and not some really good reason and tarnished part of what attracts you to me, would you still love me? Or would you be happy for a while and then slowly start to think that you can't trust me not to do the same to you?"

"If you loved me, and I think that you do, I would trust in that love. I would trust that you'd never do that to me."

"How can you take that chance?"

"Because I love you 'Mione. I need you the way I need air. You are totally essential to my life."

"Charlie . . ." the despair and anguish in her voice made his heart clench in fear.

"Be careful what you say love," he interrupted, brining up his hand to cup her cheek. "You're holding my heart in you pretty hands, be gentle with it."

"Charlie, dear Charlie." She nestled her cheek into the safety of his hard, calloused palm. "I can't do that to him. He was there fore me without any idea of what had gone wrong, of why I was such a mess. I owe him. I can't do this to him."

"Not even if the two of you will be miserable together?"

"If I knew that, then no I wouldn't go through with this. But I don't know that. I'll be content and he'll be happy. That doesn't sound miserable to me."

"You won't be content love, you'll be miserable. Let me show you why." Slowly but inexorably he lowered his head to hers. She had plenty of time to get away, to reject the kiss she knew was coming, and he would have let her go, but she didn't move a muscle. As he closed the last little distance between them her eyes slid shut and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Charlie had intended for the kiss to be tender and loving, a bittersweet goodbye of sorts if she really intended to go through with this, but his good intentions were quickly shattered. The moment he gained entrance to her mouth the kiss turned greedy and hot. Months of suppressed emotions, months of not seeing each other burst the chains of constraint and they both drank greedily from the other.

Charlie's arms wrapped around Hermione's waist and he pulled her against him, locking her smaller, softer feminine frame against his larger, harder masculine one. Locking one arm behind her he raised his other hand, cupped the back of her head and masterfully took control of the kiss. Tilting her head the way he wanted he greedily plundered her mouth, exploring and rediscovering every nook and cranny.

When he stared to get lightheaded Charlie broke the kiss, breathing heavily, but he kept Hermione hauled up against him. And she wasn't objecting. They both took advantage of the closeness to run their hands over territory long unexplored. Charlie was a bit surprised when Hermione tugged his head down, but he willingly submitted to the kiss she gave, he willingly allowed her the opportunity to rediscover his mouth as he had relearned hers. After a time, as he was beginning to answer to her twining tongue the snap of a branch alerted him that they were not alone anymore. Before he could do anything a voice rang out.

"Hermione? What the hell are you doing?"

As Charlie and Hermione separated a bit, well more then a bit, reluctantly, Charlie noted that there was no hurt in Ron's voice or posture, only anger. Since Hermione had apparently been struck dumb Charlie answered again. "We were snogging little brother. So, if you don't mind going away we'll get back to that. It's not really a three person activity."

"I'm not just going to go away and let you snog my fiancé. She's mine, not yours."

"Well, then you can go away and let me snog my ex-girlfriend. There's a good chap."

"Your ex-girlfriend?" Ron's expression grew thunderously dark before clearing. He smiled a smile that set Charlie's teeth on edge. "Well, that certainly explains a lot. But she's not yours anymore. You lost and I won big brother. So give it up and let go of my fiancé. After all, to the victor go the spoils. And I'll take my prize now if you don't mind." He reached for Hermione's arm. "Come along dear. Let's leave the poor wounded dragon to lick his wounds."

Charlie stepped in front of Hermione, blocking Ron's arm with his body. "Hermione is not a prize little brother. Why don't we let her choose which of us she wants?"

"She's already picked Charlie. She chose me. So let it go, she's not going back to you."

"She wasn't in full possession of the facts before. Now she is, so maybe she'll make a different choice this time."

"No she won't because she's not picking again. You need to learn how to give up big brother. Hermione is mine now."

"She's not a possession Ron."

"Yes. She's mine."

"No, I'm not." Hermione stepped out from behind Charlie's broad back where she had been standing silently watching the confrontation between the two brothers. "Charlie's right. I'm not a possession."

"But you're my fiancé."

"A fact I can change at any second Ronald. But first, I have a question. Why did you propose to me?"

Ron was silent for a long minute. Too long. When he finally answered his voice was hesitant, like he wasn't really sure of what he was saying. "Because I love you?"

"You know, an hour ago I might have believed you, but now, after this enlightening conversation, I don't. And now I know that the person I do love loves me back. So, Ron, I'm really sorry about this, but here's your ring back. I can't marry you."

"What! Why not?" Ron demanded.

"Because you don't love me and I don't love you. We'd be miserable together."

"But, we already told my family."

"No, you told your family against my wishes. You get to tell them you screwed up, that you didn't make sure before you made the announcement."

"Why me?"

"I'll tell them if you want" Hermione offered, "however, you might not like my version of events. Especially not skewed as they are with my new view of you. Besides you need to take responsibility for a change."

"Charlie can tell them." Ron decided.

"What!" Two voices said simultaneously. "Why me?" Charlie continued. "It's not my broken engagement, not my mess to clean up."

"No, but you can announce your engagement and that will announce my broken engagement."

""Umm, care to enlighten me as to how that works? Because I don't have an engagement to announce."

"Well, I sort of assumed that since you were lip locked with my fiancé that you intended to do the right thing by her."

"Go away and maybe I will. In the meantime, own up to your responsibility and tell the family the engagement is off Ron or I'll be forced to exercise my rights as an older brother and kick your ass."

"Fine." Ron took the ring from Hermione's outstretched fingers. "But," his expression went dark again, "I'm not going to wish you well."

"Fine, just go little brother. I still haven't decided if I'm going to forgive you for trying to steal my girl. That depends what happens here after you leave."

Ron departed with a final dark look at Charlie and Hermione. The two stood there motionless, listening as he stomped down the hill. A crack resounded over the hill as he slammed the kitchen door shut behind himself. Hermione turned to find Charlie gazing down at her with a thoughtful expression on his face. Before he could speak she did, dropping her gaze to her shoes as she did so.

"Your brother confuses me. Did he take that well or bad? Was he really upset or did he just not care?"

"I have no idea."

"Cause sometimes it seemed like he was taking it very well, almost to well, and then it seemed like he was going to go crazy." Hermione was aware she was babbling but she was filled with a desperate need to forestall the words of recrimination she was sure were going to come from Charlie.

"My brother's an odd duck." Charlie said. "But if you don't mind, I'd really rather not talk about my little brother right now." He put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up to search her eyes. "Tell me Hermione, why did you break off your engagement to my brother so soon after swearing you couldn't possibly do that?"

"Because you were right, we would have been miserable together. And I don't want to spend the rest of my life being miserable after spending the last five months that way. And," her eyes sparkled, "you admitted our relationship to Ron. And you pretty much admitted that if he'd go away you would resume and further our relationship. That was all I ever wanted Charlie. For you to be willing to admit that we were together. I was proud to have you as my boyfriend and it was killing me to think that you didn't want people to know I was your girlfriend."

"Let me get this straight. You broke up with Ron because I told him we used to date?"

"Yes, and because I hoped that you wanted to get back together. That's the impression I was getting anyway. Was I wrong? Should I go tell Ron that I've changed my mind?" By the time she finished Hermione's voice was trembling with uncertainty.

"Don't you dare Hermione Jane Granger. You weren't wrong. I do want to get back together with you, but not to date you." He took her hands in his and looked down at her, his silver eyes shining with love. "Hermione, I can't live without you. The last five months were hell. Any time I'm not with you I'm looking for you, waiting to be with you. I can't sleep without you. I can't live without you. Please, let me live. Will you marry me? I promise to love you until I die if you'll just say yes."

Hermione's brown eyes searched his face, looking for any hint of uncertainty, but she didn't find it, he was completely certain about what he wanted. A slow smile started and spread until her entire face was lit up. "Yes. I love you Charlie."

"I don't have a ring, not yet, but do you want to tell my family anyway? They probably know already, Ron would have blamed me for your broken engagement, but we can officially announce it if you want."

"Let's tell them. But can you kiss me first?"

"No need to ask love." Charlie bent his head and captured her lips in a kiss that was fiery but sweet, tender with the impression of restrained passion leashed just beneath the surface. "Can we have a short engagement love? I've waited way to long. I should have come back for you sooner; I shouldn't have waited so long. So if you want a long engagement that's fine, but please can we have a short one?"

"No" Hermione laughed softly. "I was just about to ask the same thing."

"Great, we're on the same wavelength. So let's go tell my family. And let my mum flip over planning a wedding with such short notice."

"Yeah, it's now or never for telling her."

"It was now or never for asking you to marry me. The wedding date is inconsequential in comparison to getting you to say yes."

"To you maybe."

They both laughed and then headed back to the house hand in hand. At the kitchen door Charlie gave her a quick hard kiss before opening the door and stepping into a kitchen swarming with Weasleys. All eyes snapped to them and they stopped short. A hushed, expectant silence fell over the waiting group and Charlie was silent for a long moment, building the anticipation.

"I just thought you all might want to know that Hermione's decided not to marry Ron, she's gonna marry me instead. We were dating before and broke up stupidly and then, just when I was going to beg for her to take me back she comes in engaged to Ron. But we fixed it all and now I'm telling you that Hermione and I are getting married in a few months."

Pandemonium broke out and Hermione and Charlie merely smiled at each other before beginning to sort out the many comments being thrown their way. Mrs. Weasley could be heard shrieking about how soon the wedding was to be, but Hermione and Charlie ignored her, secure in the knowledge that they would share a gloriously happy future.

The End

A.N. I'm considering a prequel and maybe a sequel to this story. Not sure. Let me know what you think.


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